


Fortune Tellers And Falling

by sgtbuckaroobarnes



Series: SamBucky Prompt Fills [25]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Comforting, Crying, Kissing, M/M, Sam is in denial, Soul Mate AU, Winter Falcon, bucky is relaxed and comfortable with who he is in this fic, but not on purpose really, dumb cute boys in love, it felt nice to write him this way, its a good thing, sambucky - Freeform, steve is pushy and supportive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 14:15:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11106264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgtbuckaroobarnes/pseuds/sgtbuckaroobarnes
Summary: Prompt: During a “game” Sam is told that is soulmate will be the next person to do “X” to him and it happens to be Bucky. Sam is in denial but destiny cannot be stopped.





	Fortune Tellers And Falling

**Author's Note:**

> i had a lot of fun with this one. and i dont know i just liked writing it a lot. even though i'm super tired now. like wow. but yeah, i hope you guys like it! <3

He had never understood the appeal of fortune tellers. But no matter what, at every fair he’d ever been to, there had been one. Hidden away in the corner, past all the booths, and the games, and the Ferris wheel, there was the fortune teller. And there was always a line. A big one. He logically understood the appeal. People wanted to know about their soulmates. That was the easy answer. But soulmates shouldn’t be easy, they shouldn’t be… talked about, and guessed at, with a psychic at a fair. Sam just didn’t think that was the way to go about it.

He, Steve and Bucky had branched off together when the group had split up, walking around, riding rides, eating so much food that Sam’s stomach felt like it might burst, and Bucky was already talking about getting another corn dog and some cheese fries. Sam was up for it despite his stomachs’ disagreement. They were walking past a ring throwing game when Steve elbowed him.

“Oh man. Yes. You have to do it.” Steve said, nodding to the booth tucked away in the corner. Sam followed Steve’s eyeline and rolled his eyes.

“Man, no. I’m not doing that. I don’t do psychics Steve.” Sam said, shaking his hand, Steve stopped and put his hand on Sam chest, stopping him too. Bucky walked a few more steps and then looked sideways and stopped abruptly when he finally noticed they had stopped. He turned to face them but stayed a little way back, sipping on his straw as he looked around, waiting for them to be done. He looked bored, but Sam had learned to read him better than that and knew he was paying attention, he always was. He just pretended not to all the time because it put people at ease.

  
“Oh come on. It’ll be fun! And it might be good for you!” Steve said, his voice full of teasing excitement.

“No. All these fortune tellers ever talk about is soulmates. And I’ve told you before, I don’t have one. And if I do, they clearly aren’t showing up anytime soon. Okay, I just don’t need to talk to some fake fortune teller to tell me what I already know.” Sam said, shoving his hands in his pockets, trying to make himself feel more confident that he actually did.

“You were just saying last night that you’d like to know. That knowing would be better.” Steve said, sounding a little sad.

“I don’t know.” Sam said after a long moment of silence.

“Just do it. Humor me. It might help. Right Buck? It could help.” Steve said, turning around to look at Bucky for back up. Bucky’s eye’s widened and he let his straw fall from his lips as he shook his head slowly.

“All that stuff is not really my thing. And I really don’t think it’s any of my business.” Bucky said, shaking his head again and taking a step back, kicking at the dirt with the heel of his boot.

“Now if you boys will excuse me, I’m gonna go win that giant stuffed unicorn so I can shove it in a super tiny box and mail it to Wade. I’ll come find ya when you’re done… doing whatever you decide to do.” Bucky said, nodding at them both, giving Sam a small smile, and then turning and walking off toward a booth surrounded by large stuffed animals swaying gently in the wind. Sam watched him walk for as long as he could get away with, using it as an excuse not to look at Steve.

“Please? I’ll go in with you. And I promise I won’t tell anyone what happens.” Steve said, giving Sam the puppy dog look.

“That’s cheating.” Sam said grumpily, pointing at Steve’s face and then stalking past him toward the booth. He saw Steve’s shadow do a fist pump on the ground and rolled his eyes, glaring at Steve when he caught up to him and matched his stride.

The booth was nice, it had a thick, red, curtain draped across the doorway, and a small bell sitting on table right outside, the cardboard sign on the table said “hit me”, and had a small drawing of playing cards on it.

“That’s funny. Like in black jack.” Steve said, smiling at Sam. Sam continued to glare as he reached out and tapped the bell hard.

“You can come in.” A voice said from behind the curtain, almost immediately. Sam followed Steve into the booth and tried to shake the feeling that whoever was back there had started talking before he’d hit the bell. There was a table set up, with three chairs, two on one side and one on the other. There was a young woman standing just behind the table, she had bright pink hair and was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Sam had been expecting something different.

“Not what you were expecting?” She asked with a small smile, and Sam felt a shiver run down his spine, she’d spoken before he’d barely finished thinking that.

“Not exactly, no.” Sam said, his voice tight, Steve sat down and Sam followed suit.

“I get that a lot.” She said with a nod, and sat down on her side of the table.

“She totally knew what you were thinking.” Steve whispered, leaning toward Sam and nudging him with his elbow.

“She said she gets that a lot, that’s not mind reading, that pattern recognition man.” Sam said quietly, looking at Steve and then into his lap. He really just wished this was over already.

“Not a believer huh?” She asked, laying her hands flat on the table.

“No, I am. I’ve seen too much in my life not to believe in psychics, I’m just… I don’t know.” Sam said with a shrug. She nodded knowingly and reached across the table in Sam’s direction, her palm up. Sam just looked at her hand.

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell you their name. You clearly don’t want that. But I can give you something at least, something small, let you know they’re out there, somewhere.” She said, smiling across the table at Sam. Sam stared at her for a long time and then slowly moved his hand into hers, palm to palm.

Her fingers closed around his hand gently and Sam felt that shiver run though him again. He could swear he saw her shiver too. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her head tilting to one side like she was thinking hard. A smile stretched her lips and then she was looking at Sam.

“What? What did you- … did you see something?” Sam asked, his voice tight. The smile on her lips fell away slowly and her features turned sad.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t? You did. You really thought you were alone.” She said slowly, sounding sad. Sam swallowed hard and waited.

“I saw something. Something sweet. Do you want to know their gender?” She asked, the smile coming back to her face.

“I don’t- I don’t know. Uh…yeah, sure.” Sam stammered, shivering again as she pulled her hand out from under Sam’s.

“He seems sweet.” She said simply. Sam blinked hard and felt the tension he’d been holding in his chest melt away a little. He hadn’t even known he’d been hoping she’d tell him that his soulmate was a man, but apparently that’s what he’d wanted.

“Would you like to know what I saw? It may help you… find them.” She said, her voice kind. Sam found himself nodding. She nodded and smiled back.

“He’s going to fall for you.” She said, smirking across the table at Sam.

“That’s a bit cryptic don’t you think?” Sam asked, his voice flat.

“I get that a lot too.” She said, her smirk deepening as she looked at Sam.

“You’re not gonna tell me anything else, are you?” Sam asked. She outright smiled now and leaned forward a little, her hands palm down on the table.

“You don’t want me to tell you anything else. Sam.” She said, pausing before saying his name for dramatic effect, Sam guessed. He nodded.

“What do we owe you?” Steve said, making Sam jump, he’d forgotten he was there. She sat back in her chair and kicked her feet up onto the table, her hands going behind her head.

“Nothin. It’s on the house.” She said with another smile. Sam stood up and nodded at her.

“Thanks. I think.” He said, and then turned to leave, pushing the curtain out of his way and letting it fall in Steve’s face on purpose. He heard her sing song-y voice call after them.

“Bye boys!” and he could practically see her wiggling her fingers at them, that smirk back on her face.

They walked back out into the night air, the wind hitting Sam’s skin, raising goosebumps as he and Steve looked around for Bucky. Sam spotted him first, he was off to the side of the fair, leaning back against the brick wall of the information center, one foot pulled up and resting on the wall. He had three corndogs in his hand, his cheeks poofed out as he took a huge bite, smiling through his bite at a little girl who walked past, she giggled and sped up into a run to catch up with her mom. There was a giant unicorn sitting next to him and he looked completely relaxed and content. Sam ignored the tug he felt under his ribs and nudged Steve, nodding toward Bucky. Steve followed his gaze and they headed over to him.

Bucky saw them and waved, not bothering to move or meet them half way, just staying relaxed against the wall and nodding as they walked up.

“Hey, I got you one.” He said, hold out a corndog in Sam’s direction. Sam smiled and nodded as he took it. Bucky made a face that Sam understood to mean “you’re welcome” without Bucky actually having to say it.

“What about me?” Steve asked, sounding offended.

“Steve, you didn’t even eat the one you had earlier. And you also weren’t the one just pressured into doing something you had no desire to do sooo… if you really want one, you can buy it your damn self.” Bucky said, shoving the last bight into his mouth and pointing the empty stick at Steve, wiggling his eyebrows at him. Steve laughed and shook his head. Bucky licked his lips and pushed off the wall, throwing his trash away and then swinging the stuffed unicorn onto his shoulders in one fluid motion.

“We done here?” he asked, each of his hands holding onto one of the stuffed animals’ hooves.

“Yes.” Sam said immediately, before Steve could jump in and volunteer them for something else. He did make a sad face though, Bucky saw it and then looked to Sam, he pushed his lip out and pouted in exaggeration behind Steve, Sam laughed and Steve spun around to look at him, Bucky had already straightened his face back out.

“What?” Bucky asked, his voice flat as he walked past Steve to step in time with Sam as he walked away.

“Were you making a face at me?” Steve asked, stepping into stride on Sam’s left and looking across Sam to glare at Bucky.

“No. I was making a face at Sam. About you.” Bucky said, turning slowly to look at Steve, a shit eating grin on his face.

“Jerk.” Steve said, looking away to watch where he was walking.

“Punk.” Bucky said easily, neither of them using any heat. Sam smiled and thought that’s probably a lot like how they used to be, way back when. He was glad they were getting that back.

“So, Sam,” Bucky started, and Sam felt his chest tighten, immediately thinking Bucky was going to ask what the girl had said to him.

“You wanna help me find a small box to shove this thing into when we get home?” he finished, jiggling the legs of the giant unicorn on his shoulders, peeking around the large leg by his head to look at Sam. Sam just stared at him for a moment, not having been expecting that at all.

“Sam?” Bucky prompted, Sam shook his head.

“Sorry. Yeah, yes, that sounds fun, actually. I wonder how small of a box we can manage to get it into.” Sam asked, smiling at the thought of Wade opening a small box and having a giant unicorn burst out.

“Oh shit, I know what we should do.” Bucky said, tapping the back of his hand against Sam’s arm excitedly.

“Do tell.” Sam said, smiling at him and not even really noticing Steve telling them he was going to find Tony and everyone to see if they wanted to stay longer, he and Bucky waved him away with a smile and then looked back at each other.

“We should get one of those space saver bags. And figure out a way to like, make the bag open when he opens the box. So the box will be even smaller and it’ll like, explode. But instead of being deadly it will be this. This adorable, kinda funky lookin unicorn!” Bucky said, smiling brightly and wiggling its legs again. Sam threw his head back laughing.

“He’ll fuckin love it.” Sam said, clapping Bucky on the back as they walked towards the car.

Sam unlocked the doors and Bucky shoved the unicorn into the back seat, fastening the seatbelt across it and then smiling at Sam. Sam shook his head and got in. Bucky threw himself into the passenger seat and buckled himself in, resting his head against the headrest with a sigh, closing his eyes. Sam pulled his eyes away from the line of Bucky’s throat and put the car in gear. They drove home on almost empty roads, windows down and radio up, the wind hitting Sam’s skin, helping to push away the thoughts that he had a soulmate out there, somewhere, waiting for him.

~***~

It happens a months later.   

They’re out on a mission. Everyone is cleared and heading back to base except Bucky. His coms went out of range and Sam had been circling the rogue hellicarrier for almost half an hour now, waiting for his coms to come back on. Steve was waiting on the ground, not leaving until he knew Bucky was safe.

“Hey Sam?”

Bucky’s voice came through the coms, crackling, but there.

“I’m here.” Sam said, feeling nervous as he made another circle around the carrier, looking for any signs of Bucky.

“If I fall off this thing… you’ll catch me, right?” Bucky’s static-y voice asked.

“That’s what I’m here for man, where the hell are you?” Sam asked, his chest aching from all the tension inside him.

“Starboard side. That’s the right term right? Nautical terms apply to this thing?” Bucky asked, his voice sounding strained.

“I don’t know man, sure, nautical terms are fine.” Sam said rolling his eyes as he banked around to the starboard side, his breath catching in his throat when he saw Bucky hanging off the edge, holding on to the craft with one arm, his flesh one. His metal arm was hanging at his side.

“Hey, there you are. I’m gonna go ahead and fall now, cuz my hand is going numb and there for slipping. Aah shit here I go.” Bucky said as Sam watched him lurch and then drop. Sam tucked his wings in and dove after him. Bucky grunted roughly when Sam slammed into him and pulled him up through the air, holding Bucky tightly to his chest.

“You should uh, and this is just a suggestion, fly away from the craft, probably quickly.” Bucky said, his voice tight from how securely Sam was holding him.

“Copy that.” Sam said and banked again, flying down and away, flying to where Steve was waiting for them. Sam heard ripping metal behind him and felt the heat of the explosion on his back.

“You got the bomb planted I take it?” Sam asked as they flew closer to the ground.

“Mmm not exactly. I’ll tell you about it later.” Bucky said, and Sam was pretty sure he felt him laughing. Sam was about to tell him he was looking forward to it when he felt something hit his back, hard. He felt one of his wings about to give out and he curled them around himself and Bucky.

“Hang on, this is gonna hurt.” Sam said right before they crashed to the ground. He heard Bucky grunt again as they hit the dirt, they slid a few feet and then stopped. Sam uncurled his wings and rolled off of Bucky, lying next to him on his back. Bucky made a high-pitched whining noise and slowly looked at Sam. Sam looked back at him and then Bucky started laughing. Sam sighed and dropped his head back.

“Why the hell are you laughing man. You almost died… again.” Sam said, glancing at Bucky. Bucky actually giggled when Sam said “again” and then he was laughing so hard there was no sound. Sam shook his head and waited for Steve to show up with their getaway car.

“Hey Sam.” Bucky said though his laughter, his voice shaking.

“What man?” Sam breathed, exhaustion setting in.

“I totally just fell for you.” Bucky said, chuckling next to Sam. Sam froze. He looked at Bucky slowly. He was laying on his back, his metal arm still not moving, his eyes closed in a grimace as he laughed. Sam felt like he’d just been dunked in an ice bath. Bucky stopped laughing at Sam’s silence and turned to look at him. Sam saw worry flash across his features and then disappear as Steve drove up and helped them both into the car and off to safety. Sam stayed quiet until they got back to headquarters. He headed to the med bay, walking next to Bucky, his heart aching in his chest when Bucky was taken into another room for observation.

He let doctor Cho look him over and then sulked off to his room, pealing his dirty, sweaty, clothes off and stepping into the shower. He stood under the hot water until it ran cold and then got out. He pulled on a pair of sweat pants and fell onto his bed, shutting the light off and laying in the dark.

It couldn’t be him. It couldn’t. Bucky Barnes, _could not be_ , his… soulmate. It was just a coincidence. Just, coincidental wording, that’s all. And he’d been joking anyway, he’d been laughing. It was a joke. Bucky wasn’t his soul mate.

Was Bucky even soul mate material? Bucky who was annoying, and frustrating, and could be such a stubborn ass that he made Sam want to tear his hair out.

Bucky who was…kind, and caring, and who payed attention to things that no one else did. Who always seemed to be around when Sam needed someone. Bucky who never asked Sam about his soul mate, not once, knowing he didn’t like to talk about it. Bucky who’d literally carried him up the stairs once when the elevator was broken and Sam had been drunk. Bucky who was ridiculously, hilariously, good at party games. Bucky who could make Sam laugh, no matter how down he was feeling. Bucky who had come to the hospital with flowers and chocolate when Sam’s sister had gotten a bad case of the flu and almost hadn’t made it through the night.

Sam lay in the dark, staring at the ceiling, feeling like a dumbass. He lay there, remembering all the times he’d laughed at some dumb joke Bucky had made and felt a tug. A tug just under his ribs, like there was something pulling him toward that dumb look on Bucky’s face as he laughed. Or when Bucky had shown up the hospital. He’d sat with Sam for two days while his sister was unconscious. He’d fallen asleep in one of those shitty plastic chairs, because he refused to take the small couch that they’d had in the hospital room. Sam had watched him sleep for almost an hour at one point, not able to look away from the peaceful look on his face. Sam’s sister had woken up and caught him. She’d given him a strange look and then Bucky had talked in his sleep.

Sam would never forget what he’d said. It had made him and his sister laugh. His face went from peaceful to grumpy, his fist balling up on his thigh, his leg stretching out in front of him.

“Steve, I swear to god, don’t- don’t you dare.” He’d mumbled, berating Steve for something. Sam had laughed then, louder than he’d meant to but it had just burst out of him. His sister had laughed too and Bucky had snorted and lurched awake, making them both laugh harder. Bucky had looked around, confused, and then he’d smiled at them both.

Bucky Barnes, the guy who could make Sam laugh, even in his sleep.

Sam rolled over onto his front and pulled his pillow close, groaning into it. He was a fucking idiot.

~***~

Sam had been acting weird for weeks. He knew it. But Bucky hadn’t said a word. And for some reason it was driving Sam crazy, it was like he thought Bucky should be mad. That he should say something. But Sam also knew that that wasn’t how Bucky was. He didn’t pressure people into things, ever. But Sam couldn’t take it anymore so he rustled up all the courage he could manage and he walked into the living room where Bucky was sitting on the couch, watching Aladdin, and he confronted him.

“Aren’t you gonna ask me?” Sam said, his voice stern. He smacked himself internally, what the fuck kinda question was that? Smooth Sam. Bucky turned away from the tv and looked at Sam.

“Sure. Yeah. I’ll ask you.” He said, sounding almost happy. Bucky paused then and narrowed his eyes.

“Wh- what am I asking you?” he said, looking at Sam. Sam sighed and walked over to the chair, falling into it with a groan.

“Why I’ve been acting weird. You aren’t gonna ask me about it?” Sam clarified, his arm draped over his eyes.

“Oh. Have you been acting weird?” Bucky asked, sounding confused. Sam moved his arm to look at him and saw Bucky smirking at him. Sam rolled his eyes and dropped his arm back down.

“You did notice. Why didn’t you say anything?” Sam groaned, dropping his arm to his side and rolling his head to the side to look at Bucky. Bucky shrugged and looked at him.

“Because, you always talk when you need to. I just figured you’d tell me what was going on when you were ready.” Bucky said, smiling softly at Sam. Sam closed his eyes and sighed, the tension in his body melting away at Bucky’s words.

“Is this you being ready?” Bucky asked. Sam nodded but kept his eyes closed. Sam heard the movie go off, Bucky had either muted or paused it, it didn’t really matter.

“Okay. I’m listening. Shoot.” Bucky said, and then sat in silence, waiting.

“The fortune teller, at the fair. She told me my soul mate would _fall for me_.” Sam said.

“Well that’s cryptic.” Bucky muttered. Sam snorted a laugh and looked at Bucky.

“That’s exactly what I said.” Sam shook his head and kept looking at Bucky. Bucky smiled and shrugged.

“That’s probably why we’re soul mates.” Bucky said easily, like it was no big deal. Sam sat up straight and stared at him.

“Y- you knew?” Sam asked, his voice catching in his throat. Bucky leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“I had a hunch.” He said quietly, his eyes locked on Sam.

“Since when?” Sam asked, leaning forward a little too. He was feeling that pull again, but this time he was letting it pull him toward the man in front of him. Bucky looked to the ceiling and tilted his head, thinking.

“Since a few months after we met, I think. It’s been awhile.” Bucky said, rubbing at his face. Sam felt like he’d been punched.

“Buck we’ve known each other for years now. Why didn’t you say anything?” Sam asked, getting up and moving to sit on the couch with Bucky. He sat at the other end, away from him, but closer.

“You weren’t ready.” Bucky said, shrugging again, and smiling at Sam.

“But you knew. You’ve just been… waiting. This whole time?” Sam asked, his eyes feeling hot. Bucky lifted one shoulder and let it fall, smiling at Sam and laughing through his nose a little.

“Yeah. It wasn’t so bad. I got to be around you. That’s more than some people get.” Bucky said, his hand resting on the couch twitched, like he wanted to reach out and touch Sam. Sam looked at his hand and reached out with his own. He placed it gently on top of Bucky’s and felt heat rush up his arm. Bucky’s eyes fluttered closed and he sighed, his body relaxing for a moment before he opened his eyes again and looked at Sam. Sam looked back and they both swallowed hard at the same time.

“I’m sorry.” Sam breathed.

“What for? You didn’t do anything wrong.” Bucky said, that adorable look of confusion on his face again.

“No I- I did. I’ve read about what happens when soul mates are around each other and one of them refused the other. It hurts. I hurt you.” Sam said, tears falling down his cheeks now. Bucky moved closer quickly, his hands going to Sam’s face and wiping the tears away.

“No no hey, you didn’t hurt me. You didn’t hurt me Sam. You never refused me, you just weren’t ready. Two different things. You didn’t hurt me I promise.” Bucky said in a rush, his hands not leaving Sam’s face. Sam moved his hands up to rest on Bucky’s wrists.

“Are you sure? Cuz Buck I couldn’t live with myself if I-“

Bucky’s lips pressing against his cut him off. Sam felt that rush of heat again, this time flowing through his chest as Bucky kissed him gently. Bucky pulled back and smiled at him.

“You didn’t hurt me Sam. You never have. Not like that. I promise. You believe me?” Bucky asked, running his thumb over Sam’s bottom lip and then wiping away more tears. Sam looked into Bucky’s eyes and felt his skin tingling. Bucky wouldn’t lie to him, he never had before. Sam nodded. Bucky smiled and nodded back.

“Good. I’m gonna kiss you again if that’s okay?” Bucky asked, his hand moving to Sam’s neck, his fingers pressing gently into Sam’s skin.

“That’s definitely okay.” Sam breathed and pressed forward, kissing Bucky deeply, both of them moaning into the kiss as that warmth filled them, pulling them together. Bucky pulled back for air and rested his head against Sam’s. They stayed that way for a long time, just leaning on each other, their hands moving over each other, touching just because they could.

“You wanna finish your movie?” Sam asked, pulling back and looking at Bucky.

“I’ll stay here and we can cuddle.” He said, smiling a little and trying not to laugh, he was afraid if he started laughing he might not be able to stop. Bucky blinked slowly and nodded, pushing himself backwards on the couch and stretching out, getting comfortable and then sighing happily when Sam curled up against him, head resting on his chest.

“Finally.” Bucky breathed, melting into the couch and moving his hand to Sam’s back.

“Finally?” Sam mumbled into his chest, he was feeling sleepy, his whole body more relaxed than it had been in what felt like years, probably _had been_ years.

“Yeah. I just, I’ve wanted to cuddle with you for a long time. Been having dreams about it and everything.” Bucky said, dragging his fingertips up and down Sam’s back slowly.

“Mmm… sound like nice dreams.” Sam said, his voice heavy. The rise and fall of Bucky’s chest and Bucky’s fingers on his back were putting him to sleep.

“The best.” Bucky whispered, pressing a kiss to Sam’s head. Sam hummed at the soft press of lips and then drifted off to sleep, feeling like he was finally where he was supposed to be. Whole, and safe, and wrapped in Bucky’s arms.

**Author's Note:**

> sorry for any mistakes that might be in here, i got like one hour of sleep, had a long day at work, and then came home and wrote this in a few hours and now my eyes are on fire. so i might go back over it in the future and check it again, but for now. they're gonna have to stay. i hope you enjoyed it anyway! <3


End file.
